Monday, July 28, 2008

Some days I want to punch people in the face. I can get myself worked up really well over little internet nothings, and some days I can spend a lot of time just going around hunting trolls because I can't let things stand unanswered.

Not all trolls are anonymous. Some are bloggers themselves who write stupid posts about people I know and read.

Maybe it's my philosophical training: I'm not supposed to let stupid reasoning and bad argumentation go unnoticed and un-addressed. I have an almost professional obligation to make the world a better place by leaving traces of reasoning wherever I can, even if I'm not nice about about (and honestly, a lot times I don't want to be nice about it).

I have a new badge, because although Loralee is quite right that we need to remember that we aren't the blog police, to stand up and fight every little insignificant battle that faces us, we are, and ought to be Blog Vigilantes.

A vigilante has some spare time, and takes the opportunity to leave a little trace of order where there was chaos, reason where there is abuse, and mockery where it is earned (because seriously, sometimes the troll just needs to be mocked for sheer stupidity).

This isn't a call to arms, because the blog world would probably be a worse place if everyone started feeding the trolls all the time. But it is a call to vigilance: if a troll attacks someone you care about and responding would make your friend feel better, then do it. Don't worry about provoking the troll: your concern ought to be for your friend. If a troll is sliming through your community and you have an opportunity, you can get your digital billy club out and do a verbal number on his head, because part of what makes a community is the defense of the community. You don't need to do it all the time; you can be opportunistic in your vigilantism.

Some days I'm more vigilant than others. And on those days I always remember the best XKCD ever drawn:

This is my Blog Vigilante badge. It reminds me both that there are stupid people on the internet and that it can be an unjustifiable timesuck to try to stave off the flood of ass-hattery that can come washing down on you. So, don't take your vigilance too seriously, but don't let trolls, whether they are anonymous or noted bloggers themselves, control your community or your friends.

Join me, and Loralee, in The Blogging Justice League!!! You will get your tights when we get your initiation fee.

Woo hoo! Hey, can my initiation fee be a 1/2 bag of Cheetos? Cuz that's all I have right now.

Yes, BPD and Loralee, I am still in a twist over obtuse lady too. I want to go smack her and then teach her how to spell "clique" cuz that's DRIVING ME CRAZY. (almost as much as her dumb posts even, which says something)

(I sure hope we're talking about the same thing because if we're not, I just made myself look like a total tool.)

I loathe trolls. And I once said that I wouldn't dignify them with responses, and that, well, failed pretty hard. In fact, I think one of my better blogging days was the day after someone accused me of bringing our honeymoon robbery on ourselves, the day I wrote about the robbery. Hi, perhaps not the best time? It wasn't pretty, but ohmygod it felt so damn good.

I'm not a big name blogger, but I'm all about justice. And tights. Especially the tights.

Hey, you really did make me feel better the other day. There is defnitely something to be said for people having your back.

And again, like I said then, you rock all the balls from here to the moon, brotha.

I do think your point about making your friend feel better is a good one that needs to be the center of this. A campaign to rain fire down on "trolls" isn't the answer either, right? Because then we all become trolls. Trolls are just misguided, sad people who are probably hurting for some reason.

I'm so far out of the loop that I'm completely unaware of trolls right now. But I quit blogging about 18 months ago, after almost two years of it, because of trolls....so I'd like to sign up. I love that you'll call it like it is. But you can keep your tights, they wouldn't fit me right now.

I'm in!I have a completely unrealistic view of justice AND I'm a wussy-- perfect combo, don't you think? So I'll probably be imagining troll-ism where it doesn't exist and then cower in the bushes behind a bigger blogger while they wage holy jihad on the asshats. Did I just talk myself out of a membership?Oh, and the tights? Control-top, please.

I got a jackass who commented that I was using my daughter's cancer as a money making machine...for real. If I could hunt that guy down and get medieval on his ass, I would! Thats my first duty as Blogging Justice League initiate.

I am so in. I want a jacket though. A cape gets the way of my flame thrower.

I had a troll on my blog last week and I spent days agonizing over seriously offending this person. I was confused and I felt bullied at the same time. I considered contacting this person and having a real discussion about the elephant in the room. I drafted a post on the issue and (thanks to my Homer) slept on it.

It all went away when I got an "atta girl" post in the thread from a new reader. Someone read me and got it. It was the affirmation I needed.

Forget the tights. Skip the cape. I want a leather outfit and mask, and the ability to modify my voice just enough to make you think "Is that...? No. No. It can't be, because it's a chick in a leather superhero outfit, right? But damn if it don't sorta look...Nah..."

Do I have to wear the tights though? 'Cause honestly, I can't deal with them rolling up and down when I bend and sit or getting a run in them when I'm typing furiously. It would be distracting. Otherwise? I'm in.

After staying up past 2 a.m. and spending a good portion of the next day on the whole Mia thing, I think I am over blogging justice- unless it happens to me, of course! Hee. Though I may consider joining part time if I get to wear a super cool cape...

You obviously weren't part of the online Newsgroup phenom of 10 years ago. I belonged to two of them and I can tell you from experience, feeding the trolls (ie making them wrong) makes the problem worse. SO MUCH WORSE.

Let it go, ignore them. They feed on others giving them negative attention. Seriously, I'm not kidding. Let it go. You have no idea what you're up against.

Dude. OK, either my troll is running around the internetz terrifying the children or YOU are my troll drumming up bid-ness.

I seem to have slain my troll, but I am gunna dig up her rotting corpse and humiliate her again some time when she least expects it. She messed with the wrong b*tch. You want me to slay others? Awesome. But I wanna be Buffy, you can be the dude. Even though I KNOW how much you wanna be Buffy.

Funny, and timely, since I am up tonight finishing a post because I am just pissed off at the snarky crap about BlogHer. And I had to say so. I have that cartoon on my desk, btw. My husband gave it to me because I get upset at injustice.

Here is the post, and I sorta mentioned you, I guess. Along with some others, for linky love.

I read your response to a writer on Kelly's blog, and I have to say, I admire you for standing up for her. I agree that too often we just let negativity and hurtful comments slide. I'm not into necessarily picking a fight, but we should definitely show our support for the blogger who's been affected.

Please, please, please... can your suit look like this:http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=42733311&albumID=618608&imageID=36598899I want to see you dressed in this! HOTT!

I hope you don't mind but I've nominated you for an award over at http://slackermomof3.blogspot.com/2008/07/introducing-newest-little-fish.html although you just barely qualify (Alexa rating of 1,000,000 or higher).

I am in too, although my blog is so small it doesn't even draw trolls. They still piss me off. I will be wielding the lasso of justice. And wristbands. Got to have the wristbands to deflect all the bs thrown around out there.

Lol. Nice post - I must admit that I tend to destroy trolls in a less vigilante way, i.e. I post their trolly comments and make fun of them. I especially like when they trash people using insults that really make zero sense. Good times.

BPD and Loralee-Have an already purchased, royalty free image that is PERFECT for this, will email you and your superhero artist blogger can see if you guys dig it. We just need to link back to the artist----love the justice league but can I be cat woman? She's good right? No spandex. I degree all of these superheros should WEAR SPANX ('cept for you and other dudes). Look for email.

I'm still making the rounds of all the BlogHer people I met, or didn't meet and heard about. I've been reading and I had to comment on this one, because I saw what you tried to do in the comments section of that ass who made nasty remarks about Her Bad Mother. The post itself made me sad, but the comments of "right on!" and "you rock!" after that drivel made me physically ill. I applaud your fight the troll efforts and wish I was so articulate when angry.